TheCable

Innocent Ujah, president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), says some people are sabotaging the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in addressing the strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The doctors embarked on an indefinite strike on Thursday over salary arrears, among other issues.

Ujah, speaking on Monday when he featured on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme, said he believed that the government was being misinformed as the issues raised by NARD have been on the ground for some time.

“It is very sad that a lot of people in government functionaries are misinforming the government. In fact, I believe that some of them are even sabotaging the efforts of the president. Otherwise, how can we be going round and round like this? These are things that have been on the drawing board for some time, agreements were signed, nothing happens when the industrial action is suspended,” he said.

Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, had claimed that resident doctors in the UK and the US pay for their residency as opposed to Nigeria where resident doctors are being paid during their residency.

Commenting on this, Ujah said he was disappointed by Ngige’s comment, describing it as ”complete lies”.

“For the minister of labour to make that statement he made, he’s my very good friend but I’m very disappointed at what he said. Those are complete lies. I would have said it is misinformation and disinformation. In fact, it is hate speech,” he said.

“How do I expect a very respected minister of labour, a former governor, a former senator to make such a statement? The statement will appear to be law when he makes them. How will anybody take what he says seriously? I feel there are some people who want to sabotage the efforts of the president. It’s either such people are tired or unwilling. The best thing to do is to quit because they are not telling the truth.”

TheCable had visited hospitals in Lagos, Oyo and Abuja following the commencement of the strike — and discovered that patients had been abandoned to their fate.